Nut-machine



(Model.) l 2 sheets-sheet 1.

- C. RICHARDS.

- NUT MACHINE. No. 250,756. Patented Deo.13,1881;

(Mbdel.) 2 sheets-sheen 2..

G. RICHARDS.

NUT MACHINE.

No. 250,756. Patented Deo. 13,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES RICHARDS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

NUT-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,756, dated December13, 1881,

Application filed J une 28, 1881.

that the following is a full, clear, and completey description thereof.

The nature of this invention relates to a ma! chine for the manufactureof nuts, said machine being used consecutively and supplementary inrelation to a punching-machine,

which machinepunches a hot bar ofiron, at the4 same time marking thedividing-lines on the bar for the nuts, and also forming a crownthereon.

The purpose of the invention above alluded to is to cntthe nuts orblanks from the punched bar when cold, and to clear the scale from theholein the nut-blank, thereby1 producing a nutblank as free from scaleas is a cold-punched one.

A detailed description of the construction and operation of the machineis set forth in the following specication and illustrated by theaccompanying drawings, making a part of the same, in which- Figure 1represents an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation.Fig. 3 is a plan view, partially in section. Fig. 4 is a plan view. Fig.5 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 6 is a front elevation,partially in section. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and l0 are detached sections.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

As shown in the drawings, A represents the bed of the machine,which maybe of the shape shown, or of other suitable form.

B is the back of the machine, to which certain devices hereinafterdescribed are secured. On the block A alluded to is fitted a slide, C,Figs. 3 and 5. Said slide is held in place and slides under theface-plate D, the outer under edge of which is a shoulder, as seen at a,Fig. 1, which, together with the side ofthe back B, form the guides forthe movement of the slide C. Said slide, as will be seen in Fig. 3, isan open oblong frame, in one end of which is secured a finger, E, and inthe opposite end a corresponding but somewhat shorter finger, F.

(Model.)

The purpose of the fingers will presently be shown.

0n the face or top of the block A, and within the slide or frame C, ispivoted atb one end of a clamp, G, Fig. 3. It will be observed in saidgure that the free end c of the clamp is narrower than the pivoted end,caused by the outer side of the clamp being madev to slant inward fromabout half its length, and that the inner edge, d, of the slide is madeto conform to the slant or incline of the clamp, so that the slant ofthe clamp and that of the slide form two inclined planes, bearing oneupon the other, substantially as seen in said Fig. 3. Future referencewill be made to this part of the machine. In the face of the said blockA is ixed a die, H, arranged in relation to and adapted to receive thepunch I, as shown in Fig. 6. The faceplate D, above referred to, issecured to the block A by screw-bolts e, Fig. 4. In the face of saidplate is removably tted a die, J, Figs. 4 and 6. A detached View of thedie is shown in Fig. 8, in which it will be seen-that the die is hollowfrom the outer end to the eyef. Said die is dovetailed into theface-plate, and prevented from coming out by a button, K, Fig. 7Projecting from the side of the button is a tube, i, in communicationwith the hollow die, the purpose of which will hereinafter be shown.

The die J above alluded to consists of two sections, h and g, Figs. 8and 6. The opening f of the die in the upper section is just of a sizeto admit the passage of a nut-blank, whereas the opening of the die inthe lower section, g, is a trifle smaller, so that a blank, on beingpressed into and through it, will have its sides smoothly shaved off bythe edges of the die. From the above it will be seen that the die J is acompound onethat is to say, one superimposed upon the other-the lowerone, or the opening therein, being a little less in size than the upperone, and that the two sections, when placed together, are hollow,forming a hollow compound die.

In the end of face-plate D is pivoted a lever, L, Fig. 6, in the outerend of which is a pin,j, on which impinges the free end of a spring, a',the opposite end being secured to the'faceplate. Projecting upward fromthe lever is a fin ger, M, whereby the lever is actuated, as will IOOpresently be shown. The inner end of the lever is loosely jointed to avertical slide,-N dovetailed in the face-plate.

In the ways O 0 of the back B is fitted a slide, P, Figs. 2 and 5. Atone side, in the -lower end of the slide, is secured a squarepunching-cutter, Q, Figs. 2 and 6. The square of said cutter is of thesize of a nut to be cut vfrom a punched bar, and is adapted to iit inthe square eye f of the die J, above described, and which is arranged inrelation thereto as shown in Fig. 6. The end of said punchingcutter isfurnished with a point, m, adapted to fit in the hole of the nut orblank to be cut from the punched bar.

R, Figs. 5 and 6, is a block secured by a stem, S, loosely in the end ofthe slide, so that it may move vertically therein. A nut, u, preventsthe stein from dropping from the slide, and the spring b', coiled aroundthe stein, holds the block down in position for the end of the fingerE,above alluded to, to pass through the open end of the block, between thesides c' of said opening. The punch I, above referred to, is alsosecured in the slide l?, the point of the punch being arranged to enterthe die H, as hereinbefore described.

The vertical slide P and the horizontal slide C are operated by thefollowing devices. The lever A', pivoted at B' to the back of themachine, is connected to the slide l? by apivotal screw-bolt, C', andcollar, Fig. 5. The free end of the lever is slotted, as shown in Figs.2 and 6. The upper portion of the slot is straight and vertical, as seenat D', whereas thelowerand major portion ofthe slotis curved, as seen atE'.

F is a vibrating link pivoted to an arm, G', at b". The upper end of thelink is provided with a pin, on which is a roller, d', adapted to workfreely in the slot of the lever A'. rIhe lower end ofthe link isbifurcated, as seen at H', Fig. l. In said bifurcated end of the link isconnected the end of the slide C, by a bolt, l', passing through slotse' in the bifurcated arms of the link. The opposite end of the lever A'is a dependent arm, J', in the end of which isa set-screw, K'.

rlhe construction and arrangement of the machine having been described,the practical working of the same is as follows: A bar of iron of theproper thickness and width for a nut, is by another machine providedwith.

punched holes at certain distances apart. At the same time a mark ismade across the bar between the holes, indicating thereby the form ofthe nut. At the saine time the face of the bar between the said lines ismade crowning by the peculiar shape of the punch, which at one operationpunches the holes, marks the dividing-lines between the holes, and bycompression crowns the nut, or, more properly, the nut-blank. The end ofsuch a prepared bar, when cold, is inserted between the guides 1 and 2,Fig. 10, and pushed forward under the cutter Q, Figs. 2 and 6. The slidel?, carrying the said cutter, is given a reciprocating vertical.

movement by a power suitably connected to the upper end of the saidslide. As the cutter Q descends the point m enters a hole in the barofthe nut-blanks, which centers the blank under the cutter. As the cuttermoves downward it cuts the blank from the bar and pushes it down intothe dief. The cutter being lifted the bar is again pushed forward and asecond blank is cut oif. This second blank, being above the rst one cutoff, pushes the first one through the bottom of the dief. At this in- 4stant in the movement of the machine the slide C moves forward and thefinger E pushes the blank from under the die, through the block R, andunder the punch I. rIhe end of the punch is a trie larger than the holein the nut-blank, so that on being forced down into the nut by the nowdownward movement. ofthe slide P the punch cuts out the hard-scalelining of the hole in the blank, which is always present in ahot-punched nut, rendering such nuts objectionable, as the hard scalelining the hole soon dulls and wears out the tap used in cutting athread therein. In repunchin g the hole, as above described, by thepunch I, said scale is removed, leaving the hole as free of scale as acold-punched nut.

To hold the nut securely in place, and to prevent it from spreading orbursting while the hole is being repunched, is the purpose ofthe blockR, clamp G, and the vertical slide N, above referred to, the conjointoperation of which, for the purpose specified, is as follows: The nut orblank, when pushed from under the dief, through the block R, to andunder the dressing punch I, is prevented from being pushed past thepunch by the slide N, which descends in time to retain it under thepunch. This movement of the slide N for the purpose specified is eiectedby the set-screw K', which in the timely movement of the parts of theniachine impinges upon the finger M, causing the slide N to movedownward in time to check the nut from passing beyond thedressing-punch. As the dressing-punch descends the movement of the leverA' withdraws the set-screw from the linger, which allows the slide tomove upward by the resiliency of the spring a'. While the slide N ismoving upward the slide C, by virtue of the cam-slot in the end of thelever A' and the link connecting said lever with the ICO slide, is movedback, brings the tin ger F against the side of the blank now under thepunch I, and forces it against the block R. At the same time the slide,by virtue of the inclined edge d thereof, acting upon the inclined edgeof the clamp G, forces said clamp against the side of the nut and crowdsit against a lug, n', Figs. 9 and 10, on the under side ot" face-plateD, thereby binding the nut firmly in place under the dressing-punch I,so that it can neither spread or become displaced while beingdresspunched. During the time of the punching of the nut another blankis beingcut from the bar by the cutter Q, and the one below it is pushedfrom under the dief by the nger E upon the next forward movement of theslide G, actuated by the cam-slot. The nut or blank now pushed forwardby the finger E pushes the hole-dressed nut from under'the punch I overthe opening N', Fig. 6, through which it falls to the floor under themachine. In the event the nut or blank should lodge in the opening theslide N, in its descent to check the nut from passing beyond the punch,as above said, will force the nut from its lodgement in the opening N'.

From the above it will be observed that the cutting off of one blankfrom the bar and repunching another previously cut off is performed atthe same time in the general movement of the machine, and that thepushing forward of the blank from the cutter to the dressing-punch isdone while the cutter and punch are being moved upward, and that theclamping of the nut under the punch by the devices described is doneduring the moving back of the slide C, and released in time to bedisplaced from under the punch by the finger E.

The power for operating the machine, as above said, is applied directlyto the upper end of the slide l? by any suitable means.

It will be observed in the operation of the machine that the block It israised by the slide P while the cutter and punch are lifted, and that itis carried down by its own weight and by the slide pressing upon thespring S until the shoulder e', Fig. 6, ofthe block strikes upon the dieH, which prevents it from moving farther downward. While the cutter andpunch continue to move down the block is loose in the slide, andtherefore the slide moves over the stem while the block is at rest. Theobject of the spring is simply to give tension to the stem of the block,that it may not move too freely. The block can be actuated by a camarranged below it, instead of its being operated by the slide, and it isnot essential that the block should be made with a passage through itfor the nut to go through, as that part of the block comprising thepassage-way may be cut offand the nut pass under the end of the block.The present way, however, is preferred. The sides of the nuts areshavedoff by the sharp edges of the dief as they pass down through tothe under side. The trimmings shaved from the sides of the blank arewashed out from the die, which is kept cool and lubricated by a streamof water passed through the tube i, above alluded to.

'Ihe machine may be used without having a bar previously punched,marked,and crowned, as above mentioned. An unpunched bar may be fed to themachine and a piece cut off and pushed forward to the punch for punchingin the same way as were the punched blanks from a prepared bar.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The combination of the lever L, having a projecting finger, M, andspring a', the lever A', with an adjustable screw, K', the slide N, andslide C with its finger F, operated by the lever A', andthe block It,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the vertical slide N, horizontal slide C, having afinger, E, the operative lever L, and screw K' of lever A',substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the punch I, block R, the lug a', slidehavinginger F, and clamp G, operated by the slide C, substantially asand for the purpose described.

4. The combination of the block R, attached to the slide P, providedwith a spring around its stem and retaining-nut n, the cutter Q, carriedby slide P, at one side ofthe block R, and

the punch I, at the opposite side of said block,

and the slide C, having the fingers E F, all arranged substantially asand for the purpose described.

5. In a nut-machine., the block R, loosely secured by a stem in the endofthe slide, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES RICHARDS.

W tnesses F. X. BYERLY, J. H. BURRIDGE.

